The following tips will help you make your inbox so manageable you’ll be left wondering what to do with all your free time.
- Setup a Low Priority Inbox
This is the single best thing I’ve ever done at work. Enjoy. Create an inbox called “Low Priority”.
2. Send low priority emails to that folder using rules (stuff you’re CC’d in, emails to all staff, anything from email abusers like me)
3. Check once a day.
Guide to using rules.
- Setup an “Action Required” Inbox
Want to remove clutter from your inbox and build a list of things to focus on? Create an action required inbox and move important emails to there. This is where you live now.
- Meeting Acceptance
You don’t need to know when someone accepts a meeting, only if they don’t. Setup a folder for these emails and use rules for anything with “Accepted:” in the subject line and never see them again. This will save you the mental anguish and finger strain of having to delete these pointless emails.
- Search Folders
Searching for client emails is tedious. Setting up search folders allows you to find emails without typing a thing.Create categories for each of your clients or business issues you deal with (eg: Recruitment, New Business)
2. You can also apply shortcuts to assign a category to an email making it even easier to categorise things.
2. User rules to auto assign clients to each category based on their emails.
3. Follow this guide to setting up search folders and use the client or issue categories as the search criteria.
This process does take about 45 minutes to setup, but is a good investment if you often find yourself repeating searches throughout the day.
- File your emails
Knowledge shares, welcome emails, expenses, pitch emails. Stick them in different folders for later and retain a Zen like state of clam.
- Shortcuts
Moving the mouse for losers. CTRL + Shift + V will help you file your emails without moving your fat arms.
- Alerts
Scared you’ll miss something important from your boss? Don’t want to look like you’ve been ignoring HRs emails? Setup an alert (using rules) to show you a popup and play a sound whenever they send you something. Personally I like to have this play whenever my boss emails.
Hopefully these tips will save you some time. Is there anything I should add to the list. Let me know in the comments below and I’ll include your idea (with credit).
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